Review of Heretic and Hexen

Whoa, so I’m diving into this wild collection — Heretic and Hexen — making the scene on consoles like they’ve been chilling backstage for decades. Kinda feels like meeting up with an old band that only played garage gigs back in the day. And hey, props to Nightdive Studios for dusting these off! They’re the type of folks you just kinda know if you’re into retro game revivals, right? Anyway, let’s dig into this, yeah?

Heretic’s got this Doom vibe but in a capes-and-castles kind of way. I mean, it’s like you’re running around with a wand instead of a shotgun. Not saying that’s bad. Just different strokes for different… warlocks? And don’t even get me started on Hexen. It’s like they took Doom, shook it up like a snow globe, and bam — now you pick classes and mess with puzzles. Reminds me more of Zelda or Metroid on a puzzly day.

Now, let me babble about expansions. Hexen’s got one from back in ’96 — yeah, retro! — plus some fresh ones for both games. Faith Renewed for Heretic, and honestly, it stretches the game’s guts in a good way. The new Hexen chapters? Vestiges and Grandeur. Not bad, but can’t beat the magic of the first ride, you know? Still cool, though.

Here’s a curveball — all five games share the same save slot. Who planned this, right? I’d jump from Hexen to Heretic, accidentally overwrite saves, and then go “Oops, there goes my progress.” Pro-level frustration there, juggling saves like flaming torches.

Visuals? Pretty straightforward. High-def is standard, but this is the Switch, not Switch 2, so don’t ask for miracles. Can’t lie; seeing the sky tiles loop around was both a trip and a “What gives?” moment. Weird screen bits aside, it’s neat to have options for old school or jazzed-up tunes. The nostalgia button, you know?

Speaking of nostalgia, remember the N64 Hexen? Best version back then, for sure. No cutscenes but ran like a charm. Comparing them had me wishing for snazzy texture tweaks. Not sure everyone’s into that, though. But really, let me smooth those out or toss in a CRT filter — just a thought.

In the end, Heretic + Hexen? Stellar combo — one solid, the other a knockout. Expansions boost the stuff, though the quirky save craziness and TV settings might crinkle the fun a tad. Tossing in a CRT filter would be a bonus, but hey, compared to hauling out an N64 or dealing with janky ports, this is a home run. Fingers crossed for more of these classics, maybe? Here’s hoping!